Attorney Bill O’Connor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Gathering Waters

Attorney Bill O'Connor has received the 2023 Harold "Bud" Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award from Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts. 

Gathering Waters gives this award to those who have devoted their time, talents, and energy to support land conservation throughout their lives and, as such, have helped permanently safeguard Wisconsin's natural treasures.

Bill has been a key player in Wisconsin's land trust movement for over 40 years. Over his career, he's founded two conservation nonprofits, Groundswell Conservancy and Gathering Waters Conservancy (now known as Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts). 

“Bill is incredibly deserving of this award,” says Boardman Clark Attorney Julia Potter, who practices conservation easement law alongside Bill. “His depth of knowledge and leadership in the area of conservation law is something to aspire to.”

Bill’s practice is focused on water law, conservation, land use, local government, and nonprofit organization matters. Bill has represented a broad range of clients in these areas, including the Wisconsin Association of Lakes, Gathering Waters Conservancy, the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors, numerous Lake Districts, other local units of government, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. 

Boardman Clark is one of Madison’s largest and longest-standing law firms. The firm serves individuals, businesses, school districts, and local governments. Its areas of service include litigation, franchise and dealership law, business law, taxation, estate planning and probate, intellectual property, family law, municipal law, banking, labor and employment, land use, elder services, real estate, and school law.